A BLOODY FRIDAY: THE DUBLIN - MONAGHAN BOMBINGS ON TV3

TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Thursday 24th June 2010

The Dublin Monaghan bombings together rank as the worst atrocity in the history of the Troubles north or south of the border

Broadcaster Derek Davis reveals to TV3 his personal account of what happened on the horrific day

Just a child at the time, Ed O’Neill and his brother were injured while his dad was killed by the blast

Tune in to A Bloody Friday: The Dublin – Monaghan Bombings airing Sunday 27th June 2010 at 9pm on TV3

The Dublin Monaghan bombings together rank as the worst atrocity in the history of the Troubles north or south of the border, with 34 people killed. In this shocking documentary survivors and the bereaved recount their memories of the bombings, its aftermath and the continuing search to find the perpetrators. The programme also studies what was happening politically in 1974, and the possible reasons why Dublin and Monaghan were bombed.

Former television presenter, Derek Davis was a young reporter in 1974 and he had just moved to Dublin the previous year. On the day of the bomb he was in the Adephi cinema watching the Paul Newman film ‘The Sting’. After hearing one of the bombs, he rushed to the scene of the incident.

John Connolly drove a mineral van around Dublin city delivering soft drinks. Along with two assistants he was making his last drop off of the day when the bomb went off in Talbot Street. Ed O’Neill was a child when the bomb went off. On the day of the explosions, he was with his brother Billy and dad Ed Senior, getting his hair cut in town. Both he and his brother were injured while his dad was killed by the blast.

Bernadette Joly carried out accounts work in a city centre office. She had spent the afternoon finishing up her duties before heading home. She was on Talbot Street when the bomb went off. Pat Fay was living in London at the time. His father Pat Senior was killed on Parnell Street when stopping at a garage to refuel his car. Paul Shannon was a fireman on the day of the bombings. He saw the Talbot Street bomb exploding before his eyes.

Tune in to A Bloody Friday: The Dublin – Monaghan Bombings airing Sunday 27th June 2010 at 9pm on TV3

ENDS.

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